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Showing posts from January, 2008

Four Surefire Ways to Inhibit Growth

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The process of trial and error is one that is both a blessing and a curse. No matter what the effect of what we are attempting is, we can learn something from the outcome. Through this process, we can omit the things we are sure to not work in favor of the desired outcome. More specifically, we can come closer to seeing what does work by looking at what doesn't. I've always been interested in what unlocks a person's ability for growth. What kind of things does it take to awaken a person's passion for higher learning and improvement? On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are some things that will no doubt inhibit someone's growth, whether inward or outward. Here are some things that I believe are surefire ways of inhibition. 1. A Narrow Language There are many theories of why humans evolved the way the did in response to certain things. One of these questions involve language and the social interactions between us. There is no doubt that we are social c

The Development of the Individual

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There are two key aspects of a person's life: The world as it is and the person's relationship with it. The world represents things that are beyond our control, things outside of ourselves while our relationship represents what our reactions are to these things or surroundings. Looking from a vantage point concerned with growth and the fulfilling of a person's potential, both of these aspects can be used to achieve these goals. A person has a greater chance of growing in an environment that allows this growth to occur, whatever that environment may be. A person growing up always hunting for food for the next meal will have a difficult time moving beyond this life. When basic needs are not met, we don't have time to worry about fulfilling our potential. An environment that supplies for the basic needs of a person supplies a strong foundation on which that person can build themselves. The psychologist Maslow created the hierarchy of needs in order to reach the pinnacl

Try and Try

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The following was originally written on July 28, 2005. It seems that no matter how hard I work on my body I'm always forced to battle an injury. No matter how fast I get I'm always slow. No matter how long I wait, I realize I must wait longer. And no matter how much I learn I'm continually reminded that I know nothing. It seems to me that defeating one obstacle just brings a greater, tougher challenge in my path. I just don't understand anymore and might not want to. But I know one thing. I pray to God in all his grace that I never quit battling them, never quit trying, never give up. Because when that happens, that will be the day I die. I might not die physically, but I'll just be a dead man walking . Sometimes I have to ask what it's all for. Why do I even get up in the morning? Why do I continually try and try and never reach Valhalla? But then I just shrug it off. I'm too busy taking on my next challenge.

Escaping Pain

The following was originally written on July 28, 2005. As a person on this earth I am constantly searching for something to fill the void inside me. Constantly searching for happiness I guess. And I always thought everyone else was doing the same. Finding their own form of it. But I was wrong. It seem there are two kinds of people on this earth. Those who are searching for happiness...and those who seek to escape pain. But what could be the difference between those? Alot, actually. My coach tells the team once in a while that we should go try to win, and not try to not lose. When you try to win, you put everything you have into it, so that you may win. When you just try to not lose, you just do what's needed to get by, the minimum of what is asked of you. The same can be said in this dilemma. People searching for happiness will continue searching for this cause. People seeking to escape pain and suffering will try but soon realize it's harder than they thought